Shadow from the Past
by DarkAngelSnapeLover
Summary: A 'Transformers' fanfic that could work as 'Transformers 6' or something: a group of people come across a wayward robot while treking through the Sahara: can they lose him before they get to a big city, or is humanity at risk? R&R please
1. Chapter 1

**SHADOW FROM THE PAST**

PROLOGUE

_**15A.D: A mysterious noise was heard in the ocean today, but no one thought anything of it. Tonight, while the men were watching the ocean, a creature flew out from it and jumped onto the beach, sending a spray of sand into the air. Everyone ran inside and listened as the creature ran across the area. Explosions told us that the creature was destroying everything in its path. I feel we will not survive the night.**_

_**162A.D: In the night, my child heard sounds. I told him it was from Rome and they possibly had a fire, since the sounds were explosions. This satisfied him, and he went back to sleep. In the morning, the damage had been done: something had destroyed an entire section of Rome. No fire could have done the damage we saw. Everyone is terrified, and a legend from Italy may be the key to whoever or whatever did this.**_

_**1021A.D: The Emperor has announced that a mysterious creature has destroyed his crops and we must raise taxes. The citizen felt like revolting, until the very creature that destroyed the crops went after them. Hundreds are dead and many homes are destroyed. The survivors now have a new respect for the Emperor, and I feel he will have no more problems from them, the ones who are left.**_

_**1886A.D: The dig site is looking amazingly beautiful. With the newest forms of organizing the area, and with the newest tools, the dig is going to be the best of the century, perhaps of all time. We do have our fears, however. Mysterious earthquakes have occurred, though we are in open desert. We fear what is causing this, and we have sent a messenger back to our home country. We fear it is a war, or perhaps something else. Either way the sounds cause fear, and I feel we should act on those fears.**_

…_**The Next Entry: Something exploded within a kilometer of the work area. Sand sprayed the area and we could not see for an entire day. When the dust settled, something was buried into the sand, and our work site was destroyed. We're leaving the Sahara, and hopefully this creature, forever.**_


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER ONE

"Come on, Mike, it's not like we're taking the house with us! We're just marching across the desert! Come on!" Kelsey exclaimed, knocking on the door with an anxious beat.

"I'm taking journals, just like our ancestors did. I need pens too, or pencils. Pencils would have a less change of exploding or becoming useless, so…Kelsey, where are your pencils?" Mike asked. He was very anxious and running around the small apartment like his pants were on fire.

"In the purple box labeled 'pencils'. Remember, art supplies are in purple, and each box is labeled," Kelsey said in monotone. She was tired of repeating her system to Mike, who had moved in a few weeks prior to their engagement. Now, she was beginning to wonder why she and Mike were still together. Both were adventure-seekers, traveling everyone on the planet just for the heck of it, but now their relationship was getting in the way, and now both were getting angry over the other's antics.

"Okay, I'm ready," Mike smiled, throwing one large pack onto his back and carrying three other smaller bags.

"Yeah, this is going to take forever," Kelsey sighed, walking out the door.

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Mike asked angrily. Kelsey walked towards the stairs as Mike locked the door. She said nothing as he walked up to her quickly. Then, the weight of his bags caused him to fall over the threshold of the stairs, and he tumbled down two flights of stairs. Kelsey ran after him.

"Are you okay?" she asked. He nodded and received her help to stand. "You sure you want all those bags?"

"Go to the street and wait for me," he sighed. Kelsey nodded and kept herself from laughing by some strange force. She waited for five minutes, and sure enough Mike returned with the three bags tethered together and resting nicely on his back, just like Kelsey's.

"See, was that so hard?" Kelsey asked happily.

"You're only smiling because you were right."

"And? You were right about this trip, from what I've seen so far. The whole group liked the idea, and all of them will be waiting for us at the airport. And think about the trip this way: you can finally feel like a perfect explorer. Not only are we trekking across the desert, we're helping out real archaeologists. One of their members will be apart of our group and he'll lead us to the dig site. Are you willing to do all of that in one trip?"

"Who wouldn't be?" Mike asked excitedly. "You were right about toning down the bags. Now we can race each other!"

"I bet you'll lose!"

"Really? Alright, ready, set…hey! Cheater!" Mike screamed, running full speed after Kelsey. In a matter of minutes, the two were at the airport with their friends, and within the hour they were headed south to the Sahara Desert, land of mystery, and horror.


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER TWO

**Mike's Blog:**

Ugh, so boring! I hate flights like this, where it goes on forever, and Kelsey will not be quiet. If she takes one more picture of me, UGH! I'll just scream.

The only good part about taking this long flight is that the man leading us across the desert is sitting beside me on the flight, showing me pictures of a dig site that is an old dig site. The story is this: an archaeological dig occurred in early 1886, but they were scared off by something mysterious. Now, the current archaeologists are stuck trying to figure out what caused them to leave. All Vlamir knows (that's his name) is that something else strange is happening in the area in the way of seismic activity. The possibilities are endless as to what's causing the burst of activity, but Vlamir is confident that he and his boss, Kareem, and can figure it out before anyone else does. Maybe I could be of some help, or maybe I can be the one who figures out the mysteries. This is going to be great!

"Kelsey!" Mike groaned just after another camera flash filled the space. "Stop taking pictures! Save it for the trip!"

"Why when we're having so much fun here?" she asked with a cocky smile on her face. Mike sighed and looked back to Vlamir, who was reading a mythology book from Egypt, the group's final destination.

"Vlamir, can you show me the map again? I want to burn it into my brain," Mike smiled with confidence. Vlamir laughed.

"You will if you keep looking at it," Vlamir smiled. "Remember the country names, also. You have a satellite phone, correct?"

"I do," Kelsey piped in. "Everyone has extra batteries in their bag in case they die out and I lose my pack. Everyone has put some of their things in everyone else's bags, just in case, and everyone has a first aid kit in their pocket, and their cell phones, and…we have a lot crammed into our pockets, just in case the packs go too."

"You are all prepared," Vlamir nodded. "This trip may go very well, but we shall see. When we get to the airport, I will call the dig site and see what to expect weather-wise. You will not go if a dust storm is brewing."

"We know," Kelsey smiled. "We already have plans for bad weather, if we catch it soon enough. Hey, what happens if they don't respond to your call?"

"Someone will, I know it. Everyone there has a radio, so they will answer, I know it," Vlamir repeated. The group felt as confident as him as the plane landed. Everyone got their luggage and walked into the hanger area, where a Jeep was waiting to take them to the first stop on the trail.

Before they did anything, the group stood closely around Vlamir. The leaders of the group were Vlamir, Mike, and Kelsey. Kelsey's best friend Amelia and her boyfriend Peter stood beside Kelsey. Peter brought along a mutual friend of him and Mike, Aaron, a history major. He brought his brother, an archaeology enthusiast, named Daniel, who brought his professor, Madam Jennifer Fredrick. The group also agreed to bring a friend named Angelica Parker, who was their medical friend. She would take care of them medically, her and her husband Kevin.

"Digger one, please come in," Vlamir called into the radio. He waited a few seconds before trying again, but no response was ever made. "Digger one, this is Vlamir. Is it okay to bring in the Europeans, over? Digger one!"

"Why aren't they answering?" Mike whispered. Vlamir shrugged and walked up to a man sitting in the corner of the hanger. They began speaking in Arabic and the group could not follow the conversation. Vlamir returned shortly after holding a yellow piece of paper.

"What is it?" Kelsey asked.

"A message from the dig site. 'We have encountered a problem. A massive explosion sent sand everywhere, and we heard a rushing sound. We evacuated the area, but if you go north about six kilometers, you will avoid it. The site is very close to the epicenter of the explosion, but the group can navigate the area carefully. If you do choose to go to the site, know it is dangerous. Another explosion could occur, and lives could be lost. Use caution. Sincerely, Abraham," Vlamir read. The group looked to each other quietly.

"Let's take a vote," Mike said sternly. "If you wish to not go to the dig site, say I."

"I," Kelsey said. "What? It's dangerous according to this Abraham fellow, and I think we should take the safe route. Come on, who else is with me?"

"We're prepared," Angelica whispered. Mike nodded.

"I take that everyone else wants to go?" he asked. The group nodded. "Well, Kelsey, you need to choose. You either go with us, or go back to Europe. What's your pick?"

"I've done too much planning not to go with everyone. So, let's go. Can the Jeep fit all of us?" Kelsey asked. Vlamir nodded.

"Put your back against the sides and put your pack in front. Whoever sits by the back door must help keep it closed, and Mike has shotgun. Let's go," Vlamir said enthusiastically. The group let out cheers of joy as they entered the Jeep and began their trek into the Sahara. No one wished to express their true feeling, which was fear. All of them were scared to death.


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER THREE

The group headed further into the Sahara, and when night fell, they stopped. They camped in the Jeep, which they would drop off at a small oasis fifty kilometers from their current position. From there, everyone would walk, but the group would have sleds in case they needed to transport an injured person or carry more gear than before. Everything was planned to the T, which is exactly what Kelsey wanted. Mike, he liked the unknown, perhaps too much. His questions throughout the night were all about the myths surrounding the dig site.

"The legend states that some sort of creature did the original damage and ran everyone out of the desert, but I disagree. I feel it is a machine, not a creature. Other myths and legends have the same strange qualities: a sudden explosion followed by massive amounts of damage, but no fire. The only clue that it is a machine is a strange metallic residue found on some ruins. Many archaeologists claim it is a form of mold, but I think it is from a massive machine that destroyed the buildings," Vlamir whispered. Kelsey scoffed.

"What kind of machine existed that far into history? I know what report you're talking about, the one from Rome. No kind of machine existed then. How do you even know they're connected?" Kelsey asked argumentatively.

"It is a theory, Kelsey," Vlamir replied sternly. "No one else seems to have a connection to this, but my connection works. Every legend involves an explosion and some sort of damage to the place the legend originated. The earliest site has not been discovered, but all we know is that they originate around the Mediterranean Sea. A creature could easily island hop his way into the Sahara and make this his home. According to the last myth, he caused a massive sand storm and seismic activity. A massive earthquake occurred here fifty years ago, and it may have something to do with what we're experiencing now."

"In what way?" Aaron asked. Mike and Kelsey nodded in agreement.

"What if the massive earthquake was a real earthquake and the creature became entrapped under billions of grains of sand? It would take about fifty years to unbury yourself, and when you do, you would probably cause an explosion. The rushing sound they described could be from the sand filling the hole from where the machine left. If we get enough evidence, we could prove my theory and answer many questions in the archaeological world. We could get rich selling our evidence, and we could live like kings for the rest of our lives!" Vlamir said enthusiastically. "I thank you all for choosing to go to the dig site. I think we will get the evidence we need, definitely. We will find it!"

The group cheered and cheered for about twenty minutes, but then Kelsey reminded them of the schedule. Everyone went to sleep, but Mike was awakened from a terrible dream. In the dream, he saw an enormous, metallic creature explode from sand and land near a dig site. The creature terrorized the people there, and many went running, but a few were not so lucky and were hit with the machine's ginormous arms. The dig site was ruined, but the machine had no care in it. He hid himself nearby, but the dream showed where he came from: a giant hole in the ground that was like Niagara Falls, except with sand. Mike awoke with chills all over his body, and he could still feel the jolt of the explosion from his dream. He felt it was a premonition of what they would find, and he hoped it wasn't true.


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER FOUR

The next morning, everyone was ready to make the next leg of the trip. The plan was to get to the oasis and drop off the Jeep, then stay the night, trying to contact the archaeologists in case the message was wrong, even though most knew it probably was not. The next morning, they would begin a trek towards the dig site, but they would stop five kilometers away to camp. The day after, they would visit the camp, and hopefully solve the mystery involving the strange creature.

"Aaron, do you have the next step planned out yet?" Angelica asked.

"Our professor is good at finding us well-paying jobs at other colleges, but I don't know. I like dealing with people, and not just students. I'm thinking of moving to Paris or London and leading historical tours. That way, I'll deal with anyone who decides to have a paid tour," Aaron smiled.

"Sounds good," Peter smiled. "I'll be taking those tours one day, whenever I settle down and make the proper funds to do it. I might just bus around or something, but that seems a little over rated to me."

"In what way?" Daniel asked, adjusting his glasses after the Jeep took another vicious bump.

"Well, you never know who you'll meet. You good meet the woman of your dreams, or you could meet the next psycho of the world, the guy who's going to kill you with a lamp and burry you in shoe boxes. Either way, it's crazy. Why take a bus everywhere in the continent taking their routes? That's why I like Amelia: she makes her own path. No one can tell her exactly where she's going to go. Why'd you agree to go to the site, anyway?" Peter asked.

"Well, I knew Mike really wanted to, and if he didn't get to go, he'd drag me back out here. No offense, Mike, but I can only do the world's largest desert once," Amelia smiled. Mike nodded in understanding.

"I wasn't the only one depending on the dig site. Daniel, isn't this a part of your training?" Mike asked. Daniel nodded.

"Um, my last professor told me to go to some digs if I could. So, this is my third dig in two months, and I have another planned when we get back," Daniel replied. Mike nodded as the group held on for another major bump.

"Sorry!" Vlamir called from the front.

"Perfectly fine with us, since we all would love to have hernias when we get home," Kevin groaned loudly.

"Kevin!" Angelica whispered fiercely.

"Oh, right, we're perfectly fine," Kevin grinned sarcastically.

"I take you wanted nothing to do with this trip?" Amelia asked. Kevin nodded.

"I make him go with me to help me with the bigger jobs, and since we're in the Sahara, I think we'll have some of those. He's just mad because he's missing some business opportunities. In my mind, if they want you they'll wait," Angelica said sternly.

"I agree," Daniel smiled. "I received scholarships without even trying, and that's a lot like a business opportunity. They only select a few recipients."

"Thank you, Daniel," Kevin smirked. He hated being here with anyone or anything, and he wasn't afraid to show it wherever they were, be it a bathroom break or in the Jeep surrounded by people who chose his wife to come with them. He was surprised that no one had said anything to him about his attitude, but he thought that everyone considered his wife's warnings to be enough, at least until they heard them bickering at camp.

"Why did you even drag me here? 'Big job' my rear end, Angelica!" Kevin exclaimed.

"Well if you hate being here this bad, there's a plane. Take it as far away from me as possible!" Angelica bellowed.

"Fine, maybe I will!" Kevin spat back. Sure enough, when he went to speak with Vlamir, he was met with the same response.

"I am not the one you should be telling. I don't care who goes or who stays, as long as you do not leave the decision to me. Tell Mike or somebody, I'm just the tour guide," Vlamir whispered. Kevin told Mike, and Mike agreed: whoever wanted to leave needed to leave then or stick it out. Sure enough, the plan had only one taker: Kevin, and Angelica spat curses at him until the plane was out of sight. Then the group was put up for the night in a small building with cots in it. Everyone told stories happily, except for Angelica, who was still very angry.

"Are you going to be okay?" Kelsey asked. Angelica shrugged.

"We've been headed for a divorce for the past six months. He's so money-hungry that he doesn't remember our dream. We both wanted to open a free clinic in a third-world country, just to give back, but now he's all financial this and money that. It's ridiculous to me that we're even still together. I still want that dream, but if I bring it up, I'm afraid of what will happen. Maybe I should make this a part of my decision to not be married to him," Angelica sighed.

"Is that really what you want? Have you talked with him about what you're feeling?"

"No, but I've dropped hints everywhere. I even started looking into the costs of transport, and suppliers, and everything we would need to make it happen. He thinks I'm crazy, though, and he told me that I was insane to even get quotes because 'the salesmen will make you buy'. There aren't any salesmen involved, and he would know that if he read the information I gave him. He's just not interested in me anymore, just money money money. I'm sick of his greedy ways," Angelica spat. She then grew silent, so Kelsey moved away from her and rejoined the group. A few minutes later, Kevin walked in with a massive bandage over his eye.

"What happened?" Angelica gasped.

"The plane went down!" Kevin exclaimed. "It's a miracle I'm even alive with the way he was flying! He claimed an engine went out. Bull! I know what that sounds like!"

Everyone looked to each other with an annoyed glare, but no one complained as Kevin rejoined the group and began controlling the conversations. Soon, people grew tired of it and began checking their packs and readying themselves for bed. When Kevin finally shut up, it was because everyone else was asleep, and most had headphones on their ears, drowning him out. After he took the hint, he lay there awake for a few minutes trying to decide what he should do, and he finally decided to stay with the group and check out whatever they were trying to find. It was better than trying to fix the airplane, and he figured it would be faster to. So, he stayed, even though no one wanted him there.


End file.
